Arch Linux

joshuawagner147

Member

From: Florida

Registered: 2012-04-26

Posts: 4

Dual-Booting Arch Linux and Windows 7

Hello,
I am attempting to set up a dual-boot configuration with Windows 7 (installed first), and Arch Linux. When I went to install, I read in the documentation that the AIF doesn't support installing GRUB to a separate partition other than the MBR on the drive. I want to install GRUB separate from the Windows MBR so I can use Easy BCD to chainload the two bootloaders (i.e. installing GRUB on /dev/sda5 instead of /dev/sda). I went through the installation process and tried to install GRUB manually via the instructions given in the documentation. But when I went to boot Arch, I was greeted with the GRUB shell instead of the boot menu. What did I do wrong? And is there any easier way to install Arch this way given that I do not want to overwrite the Windows bootloader? I went ahead and wiped the Linux partitions on my drive, so I am going to do the install again once I have some suggestions.

Thanks!

ANOKNUSA

Member

Registered: 2010-10-22

Posts: 2,141

Re: Dual-Booting Arch Linux and Windows 7

Why not just use GRUB to chainload NTLDR?  I've been doing it for almost three years without a single problem.  EasyBCD makes matters more complicated than they've ever needed to be.

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Linux != Windows  ::  Ask Questions the Smart Way  ::  Configs

joshuawagner147

Member

From: Florida

Registered: 2012-04-26

Posts: 4

Re: Dual-Booting Arch Linux and Windows 7

Why not just use GRUB to chainload NTLDR?  I've been doing it for almost three years without a single problem.  EasyBCD makes matters more complicated than they've ever needed to be.

Well I really wanted to make it easy to remove Linux if I ever had a need to. I would just have to remove the Arch Linux entry in NTLDR and format the partitions. I guess if I have to, I will use GRUB to chainload NTLDR...but I've had several bad experiences with GRUB in the past and I'm not really experienced in using the GRUB shell to perform commands.

DSpider

Member

From: Romania

Registered: 2009-08-23

Posts: 2,273

Re: Dual-Booting Arch Linux and Windows 7

What is this two bootloaders nonsense? "Easy BCD"? You're only complicating things. Just install GRUB to the MBR and be done with it.

If you ever need to, it's easy to fix the MBR from the Windows install media. Here. Except you click where it says "Repair your computer" from the Windows install media. You don't need a "Windows repair disc" like the guys says. The other commands are spot on

bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot

Big fricken deal to fix the MBR.

You can also use Syslinux. I recently switched to it myself and it's very easy to work with. The syslinux.cfg Windows entry looks like this:

LABEL windows
        MENU LABEL Windows 7
        KERNEL chain.c32
        APPEND hd0 1

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"How to Succeed with Linux"

I have made a personal commitment not to reply in topics that start with a lowercase letter. Proper grammar and punctuation is a sign of respect, and if you do not show any, you will NOT receive any help (at least not from me).

hyperreal_logic

Member

Registered: 2011-05-29

Posts: 18

Re: Dual-Booting Arch Linux and Windows 7

To the original poster: 

If you want to chainload both Windows and Arch Linux using your preferred boot manager, you'd have to create a separate 'boot' partition when installing Arch Linux.  When you are in the Arch installation, create a separate partition of about 500 MB, then create the root partition of whatever size you need, and then create swap partition if necessary.  So your HD would resemble something like this:  /dev/sda5=boot partition of 500 MB; /dev/sda6=root partition of ## MB/GB; and /dev/sda7=swap partition of (RAM * 2) GB.  Then continue with the Arch installation procedure until you get to the end where you are prompted to install a boot loader.  Choose GRUB, and install it to the 'boot' partition on /dev/sda5.  This will allow you to chainload Arch via Easy BCD.  What happens is Easy BCD will pass the message to GRUB on /dev/sda5, and GRUB will then load your Arch root system on /dev/sda6. 

I hope this helps.  I support your choice in using Easy BCD to chainload Windows and Linux.  Software is, after all, about choice.  Furthermore, you've presented a good reason to use Easy BCD as the main boot loader, which is to save you from unnecessary tinkering with the GRUB shell or Live CDs and whatnot.  However, if you don't want to create the separate 'boot' partition, then you'll have no other choice but to use GRUB or syslinux on the MBR.

joshuawagner147

Member

From: Florida

Registered: 2012-04-26

Posts: 4

Re: Dual-Booting Arch Linux and Windows 7

To the original poster: 

If you want to chainload both Windows and Arch Linux using your preferred boot manager, you'd have to create a separate 'boot' partition when installing Arch Linux.  When you are in the Arch installation, create a separate partition of about 500 MB, then create the root partition of whatever size you need, and then create swap partition if necessary.  So your HD would resemble something like this:  /dev/sda5=boot partition of 500 MB; /dev/sda6=root partition of ## MB/GB; and /dev/sda7=swap partition of (RAM * 2) GB.  Then continue with the Arch installation procedure until you get to the end where you are prompted to install a boot loader.  Choose GRUB, and install it to the 'boot' partition on /dev/sda5.  This will allow you to chainload Arch via Easy BCD.  What happens is Easy BCD will pass the message to GRUB on /dev/sda5, and GRUB will then load your Arch root system on /dev/sda6. 

I hope this helps.  I support your choice in using Easy BCD to chainload Windows and Linux.  Software is, after all, about choice.  Furthermore, you've presented a good reason to use Easy BCD as the main boot loader, which is to save you from unnecessary tinkering with the GRUB shell or Live CDs and whatnot.  However, if you don't want to create the separate 'boot' partition, then you'll have no other choice but to use GRUB or syslinux on the MBR.

Thanks. Yes...I followed the procedure just like you described. I figured that my problem was that I didn't create a separate /boot partition, so I reformatted the partitions I created and redid the install. However, I was not able to install GRUB in the AIF; I had to reboot into the Live CD and install GRUB to my boot partition manually. All is good now as I have a working dual-boot now. Arch Linux has been a sort of learning curve for me, but I have gained valuable knowledge and experience by using this distro.

Yes. I didn't want to mess with GRUB or NTLDR. I know that reinstalling NTLDR is not that difficult, but I didn't want to mess with it at all. It just seemed easier to chainload GRUB to NTLDR using EasyBCD. I'm a sort of "distro-hopper" anyhow, and using this method allows me to cleanly remove any distro I install without having to mess with GRUB or reinstalling NTLDR.

Thanks!

hyperreal_logic

Member

Registered: 2011-05-29

Posts: 18

Re: Dual-Booting Arch Linux and Windows 7

To the original poster: 

If you want to chainload both Windows and Arch Linux using your preferred boot manager, you'd have to create a separate 'boot' partition when installing Arch Linux.  When you are in the Arch installation, create a separate partition of about 500 MB, then create the root partition of whatever size you need, and then create swap partition if necessary.  So your HD would resemble something like this:  /dev/sda5=boot partition of 500 MB; /dev/sda6=root partition of ## MB/GB; and /dev/sda7=swap partition of (RAM * 2) GB.  Then continue with the Arch installation procedure until you get to the end where you are prompted to install a boot loader.  Choose GRUB, and install it to the 'boot' partition on /dev/sda5.  This will allow you to chainload Arch via Easy BCD.  What happens is Easy BCD will pass the message to GRUB on /dev/sda5, and GRUB will then load your Arch root system on /dev/sda6. 

I hope this helps.  I support your choice in using Easy BCD to chainload Windows and Linux.  Software is, after all, about choice.  Furthermore, you've presented a good reason to use Easy BCD as the main boot loader, which is to save you from unnecessary tinkering with the GRUB shell or Live CDs and whatnot.  However, if you don't want to create the separate 'boot' partition, then you'll have no other choice but to use GRUB or syslinux on the MBR.

Thanks. Yes...I followed the procedure just like you described. I figured that my problem was that I didn't create a separate /boot partition, so I reformatted the partitions I created and redid the install. However, I was not able to install GRUB in the AIF; I had to reboot into the Live CD and install GRUB to my boot partition manually. All is good now as I have a working dual-boot now. Arch Linux has been a sort of learning curve for me, but I have gained valuable knowledge and experience by using this distro.

Yes. I didn't want to mess with GRUB or NTLDR. I know that reinstalling NTLDR is not that difficult, but I didn't want to mess with it at all. It just seemed easier to chainload GRUB to NTLDR using EasyBCD. I'm a sort of "distro-hopper" anyhow, and using this method allows me to cleanly remove any distro I install without having to mess with GRUB or reinstalling NTLDR.

Thanks!

Glad to hear!  Yes, Arch Linux is a wonderful distribution, and one of my favorites.  It's great for not-so-newbie beginners to learn from.  pacman is one of my favorite package managers, as there is always the latest stable software available in the Arch repos.  Glad everything worked out.  Have fun with Arch!